Hon. Glen Cummings (Minister of Natural Resources): Madam Speaker, I would like to give an update on flood conditions, and my colleague the Minister of Government Services (Mr. Pitura) will follow with a further update on EMO responses for information for the House.

I would like to report, first of all, that the predicted levels in the Red River Valley are following the predictions that have been put out by the Manitoba Water Resources Branch, and there are no changes in this update in that respect. The Red River levels, Madam Speaker, have risen from less than a foot at Emerson to 1.7 feet at the floodway in the last 24 hours. Levels will continue to rise gradually until the crests are reached in late April and in early May. There is no change in the predicted crest elevations or dates for the Red River from Emerson to Lockport. When this crest arises, the floodway is expected to carry 59,000 cubic feet per second which is well within its capacity, and the floodway can carry considerably more than has been discussed recently in some of the reports that have been made available.

On the Assiniboine River, levels from Baie St. Paul at Headingley have begun to fall at most points as ice has finally begun to move. There will be a danger of ice jamming in this area over the next 24 hours which could result in levels being briefly higher, and I should warn that some flooding has occurred in this area and the possibility exists.

On the Pembina River, the crest is expected at La Riviere late today or early tomorrow, the level one foot higher than the 1995 crest. There is considerable flooding in the Pembina Valley and diking continues in the La Riviere area. Flooding continues on many tributaries of the Red and other streams such as the Brokenhead, the Netley Creek and the Whitemouth River. Most of these streams are nearing their crest elevations and crests on the downstream portions of the Red River tributaries will be determined by the Red River crest elevations and dates.

Madam Speaker, Natural Resources is continuing the implementation to construct 16 miles of dike northeast of Brunkild with the assistance of the military and Highways and Transportation. The purpose of this dike is to keep the Morris River from spilling into the La Salle River. The spill into the La Salle would create flooding concerns for the city of Winnipeg. We have had 400,000 sandbags delivered to St. Adolphe last night to assist in their fighting the levels of the river. An additional 2.5 million sandbags will be available over the next two days.

Flooding has been reported in the Beausejour area and on the Whitemouth River due to ice jamming. The extent of that flooding is not yet known. Flooding is also reported along the Assiniboine River covering a stretch from Headingley to 10 miles west. The department also reports that the Seine River has peaked east of Lorette. We are informed the flood information on the Internet has now been picked up by more than 31,000 hits, and we would encourage those seeking information to use that approach.

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Hon. Frank Pitura (Minister of Government Services): Just further to the report given by my colleague the Minister of Natural Resources, I would just like to add some changes that have occurred since yesterday's report. With regard to states of emergency, there are now 12 jurisdictions that have declared emergencies. Some of the ones that are changed from yesterday is the R.M. of Ritchot is added to the list and the city of Winnipeg has been added to that list now. With regard to evacuations, I am advised by the local officials that are co-ordinating all the evacuations that everything is going very smoothly with regard to the evacuations in all the communities, and my sincere congratulations to all those people that are working with regard to the evacuation movement in these communities. Of the total communities that are evacuated, approximately 3,700 have been evacuated as of noon today. In regard to the receptions, my data is only from 8 p.m. last evening, but in the St. Vital arena, approximately 281 have registered; the Altona Civic Centre, 871; at Steinbach, 35; and at Ste. Anne, 177, and those people are from the Roseau River First Nations.

With regard to the armed forces, I am now advised that the armed forces personnel are deployed to provide assistance to local and provincial authorities in the following communities: Emerson, there are 65; Rosenort, 65; Letellier, 38; St. Jean Baptiste, 65; Morris, there are 55; and at St. Adolphe, 110. An additional 250 regulars will arrive today for deployment to the city of Winnipeg and additional armed forces personnel will arrive tomorrow by air in support of flood operations.

Madam Speaker, these are the changes that I have to report since yesterday.

Mr. Stan Struthers (Dauphin): Let me begin by commending both the Minister of Natural Resources (Mr. Cummings) and of Government Services (Mr. Pitura) for keeping a steady update to the House on the ever-changing conditions concerning the flood of 1997. We appreciate very much the statistical data information that has been given to those of us on this side concerning the water levels of the rivers involved in this flood.

Also, I want to pay some particular attention to some of the other rivers, other than the Red. We have heard a lot about the Red River and the flooding occurring there. I was pleased to note the minister has his eye also on the Pembina Valley where we have also heard of cases of flooding occurring and high water levels. As well, the Assiniboine River, which I think we all figured would--even though there was not as much snow in western and southwestern Manitoba this year as there was in other places we all knew the perennial problems with ice jams and the trouble that can cause when we deal with floods.

I want to pay particular commendation to the Department of Natural Resources for its work and the time that it has spent in collecting this data, from department officials who are working here in Winnipeg right through to the field offices and liaison offices that have been set up outside of the city. I think those folks need to be commended very highly as well.

I also want to pay particular attention to R.M. officials who have been keeping their local folks up to date and involved in the fight of this flood, and all the many volunteers who have been organized by local communities to help out those people who are in need at this time.

Along those lines, the volunteers at the St. Vital centre and volunteers at Steinbach and Ste. Anne and some of the other rural communities who have been helping out in the receiving and assisting of evacuees from the Red River Valley need as well to be commended.

Again, Madam Speaker, I wish to pledge the co-operation of this side of the House in terms of helping people out in this flood and encourage the ministers to continue with their steady flow of information in the House, as they have been doing. Thank you.

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